The allrounder’s form over the last few months will make it hard to move him

Andrew McGlashan11-Oct-2021Mitchell Marsh appears set to retain the No. 3 spot in Australia’s XI for the T20 World Cup after his success on the tours of West Indies and Bangladesh which will have a knock-on impact on where Steven Smith returns to the side.Marsh was Australia’s standout batting star on the recent tours, scoring 375 runs across 10 matches, with the series in the Caribbean being the first time at batted at No. 3. They were missing a host of first-choice players for those trips with Smith, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis now all available again.Maxwell’s outstanding returns in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore make a strong case for him batting as high as possible to maximise the time he has at the crease with No. 4 seeming the logical place. However, that would mean Smith, who has missed Australia’s last three T20I series, moving down to the middle order and since 2011 he has only twice batted lower than No. 4 in T20Is.Related

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“I dare say that if I play in this tournament, I’ll be listed at No. 3,” Marsh said. “But I think the beauty of our squad is that from three to six or even seven, all of us can float. It will just be a matter of game situation and who we think is best to go in next. So, I think I’ll be at the top, but it’s about being adaptable and being able to float with the guys that we’ve got coming after me.”Marsh picked up the form he had shown overseas in his one domestic innings before leaving for the World Cup when he hit 111 off 124 for Western Australia in the Marsh Cup. As he enters his fourth global limited-overs event, on the back of a seven-week period at home where he also got engaged, he feels well placed.Mitchell Marsh took his chance up the order•Getty Images

“I probably feel more confident just in my preparation and that often allows me to go out there and just play the game and try and perform for the team,” he said. “I know that when I’ve prepared really well I go out there full of confidence and that’s certainly been the case for the last few months. I’ll continue to do that.”On the evidence of some of the IPL, Marsh’s success on slow pitches in West Indies and Bangladesh could stand him in good stead. Playing spin was an area of his game he put particular focus in, picking the brains of Adam Zampa to find out how he would bowl to him and then working out ways to counter that.”I just asked him where he where he would bowl to me, to try and stop me from scoring. I think if I can try and nullifying bowlers from and doing that, and get the game a bit more on my terms when playing against spin, it becomes a little bit easier and you can you get more boundary options.”I’ve watched guys like Marcus Stoinis who use the crease unbelievably well. Getting back and hitting guys over deep midwicket off the back foot for six and I think when you start playing shots like that, then you get more balls in your area to look down the ground. In these conditions we know we’re going to get a lot of spin.”

Celtic moved back to the top of the Scottish Premiership table on Sunday with a convincing 3-0 win over Motherwell away from Parkhead at Fir Park.

The Hoops had temporarily dropped down to second in the division after Aberdeen had won their eighth match of the season on Sunday, but they have returned to the top on goal difference.

Goals from Luke McCowan, Alistair Johnston, and Adam Idah were enough to secure all three points for the Scottish giants against Motherwell, as they kept yet another clean sheet.

Kasper Schmeichel has now kept seven clean sheets in nine Premiership games for the Hoops since his move to the club on a free transfer from Anderlecht in the summer transfer window.

He was relatively untroubled against Motherwell, making just two saves in total to keep a clean sheet, and did not have to do all that much to preserve the shut-out.

This meant that the Denmark international was not one of the top performers on the day for Brendan Rodgers, as a number of other players took centre stage for the Bhoys.

Celtic's top performers against Motherwell

McCowan was handed a big opportunity to shine from the start after an injury to Callum McGregor opened up a space for him in the middle of the park.

The Scottish dynamo, signed from Dundee in the summer, certainly grasped his chance – scoring a brilliant goal to open the scoring for Celtic, weaving inside and out of challenges before finding the bottom corner.

He also completed 100% (2/2) of his attempted dribbles and created one chance for his teammates in the rest of his 75 minutes on the pitch.

The other star of the show for Celtic was the captain for the day – Johnston. The Canada international did score, with a header, in the second half but it was his defensive showing that really caught the eye.

Sofascore rating

9.0

Duels won

8/10

Tackles won

4

Interceptions

1

Dribbled past

1x

As you can see in the table above, the right-back was dominant in his defensive duels, winning 80% of his physical contests, and was only dribbled past once.

The former MLS star also created one ‘big chance’ for his teammates, that they failed to take, and could have come away from the match with an assist to go along with his goal.

Whilst Johnston and McCowan were the stars of the show for Rodgers, there was at least one Celtic player who did not show the best of his abilities – Kyogo Furuhashi.

Kyogo Furuhashi's performance against Motherwell in numbers

The Japan international was selected to lead the line on Sunday and struggled to make an impact at the top end of the pitch, whilst also offering very little in the build-up.

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It is no secret that Kyogo is not a traditional centre-forward who is going to hold the ball up and win flick-ons, or battle defenders to link play for his teammates.

This means that his final actions at the top end of the pitch need to be telling when he does get involved to make up for that. Unfortunately, that was not the case against Motherwell.

Minutes played

75

Passes made

1/3

Shots

4

Assists

0

Big chances created

0

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo only completed one pass in 75 minutes on the pitch, failing with his other two attempts, and took four shots without scoring.

The Japanese attacker managed one shot on target and saw the other three blocked, whilst he also had fewer touches (ten) than goalkeeper Schmeichel (37), which illustrates his lack of impact.

These statistics show that the 29-year-old striker had a difficult day at the office, as his decision-making and quality in the final third left a bit to be desired and he failed to get involved in the build-up, with his one pass.

The experienced forward was then upstaged by the man who replaced him for the final 15 minutes of the match, as Adam Idah caught the eye off the bench.

Signed from Norwich in the summer, the Irish marksman scored, with a composed close-range finish, completed all four of his attempted passes and created a ‘big chance’ in those 15 minutes.

Rodgers must now consider brutally ditching Kyogo from the starting XI after a few underwhelming displays from the attacker in recent weeks.

Why Celtic should drop Kyogo Furuhashi

The right-footed striker should be taken out of the line-up when the Hoops face Dundee at Parkhead in the Premiership on Wednesday night.

He has produced one goal and one assist, both of which came in the first half against Aberdeen, in his last five appearances in all competitions for the Hoops.

Kyogo completed 12 passes in those five outings and this shows that the attacker has not offered much outside of his work in the final third, which has also been lacking aside from the opening 45 against the Dons at Parkhead.

Therefore, Rodgers must ruthlessly ditch the striker from the starting XI and offer an opportunity to Idah to lead the line in the Premiership on Wednesday night, hopefully motivating Kyogo to fight hard to win his place back for the game against Dundee United at the weekend.

Appearances

7

Starts

2

Goals

2

Big chances created

1

Passes made per game

4.7

Aerial duels won

60%

As you can see in the table above, Idah has shown promise in his limited minutes on the pitch this season, with two goals in two starts in the Premiership.

He has also averaged more passes completed per game (4.7) than Kyogo (4.4) has managed in seven starts out of nine games, which suggests that the Irishman offers more to the team in build-play play.

His aerial duel success rate also shows that Idah is a valuable asset to Celtic when they need to play longer passes under pressure, as he has the physical qualities to win headers and hold the ball up.

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Therefore, Rodgers must now ditch Kyogo from the starting XI to give his number nine a chance to stake a claim for his place in the team moving forward against Dundee.

Bournemouth have ambitious plans to double the size of the Vitality Stadium, currently the smallest in the Premier League.

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• Bournemouth targeting new stadium
• Cheries at centre of multi-club model
• Champions League is ultimate ambition

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Cherries can only fit 11,500 fans inside the Vitality Stadium, trailing far behind Brentford's 17,250-capacity home, and with no others in the Premier League smaller than 24,500. But American owner Bill Foley has revealed intentions to build a new stadium on the existing site that will raise the capacity to at least 19,000 and potentially up to 23,000. That alone should see Bournemouth's revenues shoot up as they aim to shed their status as Premier League minnows and underdogs.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It all forms part of a wider strategy for 80-year-old American billionaire Foley. He is no stranger to building sports teams up, with his Vegas Golden Knights going from new franchise startups to NHL champions in the space of jut six years. His Black Knight Sports & Entertainment group took over Bournmeouth in December 2022, while he also owns or holds stakes in Auckland FC, Lorient and Hibernian, with the intention that Bournemouth will be the flagship side in a multi-club model. Andoni Iraola's Cherries are the blueprint in terms of philosophy and style, on the cusp of qualifying for European football for the first time in their history – they are seventh in the Premier League, but only one point behind Manchester City in the last Champions League berth.

• WHAT BILL FOLEY SAID

  Speaking to , Foley said: "We have a waiting list of 15,000 or 16,000 people that want tickets, so we're not going to have trouble filling the stadium.

  "We're a little ahead of schedule. I thought we'd be in Europe next year [2026]. We may have a chance this year if we can keep on going and keep on playing well. If we just get lucky on injuries and get these guys healthy the second half of the season, we should be very successful, and if we're successful we will play in Europe. The Champions League? That's my dream."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Vitality Stadium doesn't actually meet UEFA requirements in its current form, so no European football could be played there anyway, unless upgrades to its infrastructure are carried it out to tick UEFA Category 4 criteria. Its size would not be the issue.

Southampton are thus far enduring a difficult return to the Premier League, and things certainly won’t get any easier this weekend when they travel up North to face reigning champions Manchester City. Saints haven’t beaten City in the top flight since July 2020, losing their last two games against Pep Guardiola’s side by an aggregate score of 8-1.

Russell Martin’s team did, however, secure a memorable victory over the Cityzens in last season’s League Cup, running out as 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo.

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If they are to produce a repeat of that result when they meet City on Saturday, however, they will have to do it without a number of key players. Southampton will be without winger Ryan Fraser, who has been a regular feature off the bench in recent weeks, following his red card against Leicester, while both Ross Stewart and Will Smallbone will also miss the game through injury.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu is of course still a long-term absentee, having ruptured his achilles tendon back in April.

Yukinari Sugawara now a doubt

Speaking to the press on Thursday, Martin revealed that he could now also be without defender Yukinari Sugawara for the trip to The Etihad.

The Japan international, who joined Southampton in the summer from Eredivise side AZ Alkmaar for a fee of £6 million, was dragged off after just over an hour against Leicester following a late tackle from Jamie Vardy.

“Yuki had to come off so we’ve managed him a little bit this week or having to manage him,” Martin explained. “I think another 24 hours will depend on if he’s ready to start or not. We’ll have to make a decision on that.”

On Smallbone, Martin said: “Will Smallbone is out now for a little bit of time, which is really frustrating and disappointing for us.”

A big miss at the champions

Suguwara would be a big miss for the Saints should he be unable to play on Saturday. He’s started all of Southampton’s eight Premier League games this season, scoring once and, despite the Saints having yet to win, is impressing with his tenacity on the right-flank.

His importance to Southampton was no more apparent than last week against Leicester. Martin’s side were 2-0 up when Suguwara was forced off, and went on to lose 3-2, with Jordan Ayew scoring the winner in the 98th minute.

Reuters/John Sibley

Speaking after the defeat, Martin pointed to Suguwara’s early exit as a turning point.

“Obviously at that point the momentum shifts a bit. Yuki is injured, we have to make a substitution that’s enforced, which is not ideal, and then Ryan obviously gets sent off, so that changes the game completely,” he said.

On Leicester’s late winner, Martin added: “I’m furious about that, I’m hurt with that, but I’m not hurt with the fight and the effort that the players gave us. They were brilliant.”

After breaking their transfer record with the addition of Dominic Solanke during the offseason, real optimism surrounded Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

However, after just one win from their opening four league fixtures, doubt was cast over the club’s ambitions to secure Champions League football during Ange Postecoglou’s second season at the helm.

Their recent run of five successive wins has reignited the belief within the fanbase that the Aussie can bring success to North London during the ongoing campaign, as the club look to end their 16-year wait for a trophy.

Brennan Johnson has been a real beneficiary of the club’s recent form, scoring in five successive matches for the first time in his career, silencing some of the doubters who hurled abuse at him on social media.

Along with the Welshman, one other talent has also thrived with increased minutes in the first team, producing performances that look well beyond his tender age.

Mikey Moore’s recent form for Tottenham

It is very rare you see a 17-year-old seamlessly transition into senior football, but Spurs superstar Mikey Moore has done just that over recent weeks, making two appearances for Postecoglou’s side in the last seven days.

The forward, who is a product of the club’s academy, came off the bench during the 3-0 victory against Manchester United, before being rewarded with his first competitive start against Ferencvaros in the Europa League a couple of days ago.

Whilst it may seem a daunting prospect for a young player making their first senior start on the European stage, Moore excelled and featured for the entirety of the contest.

He wasn’t afraid to make his mark on the meeting, attempting seven dribbles as he aimed to mark his start with a first senior goal.

He may have failed to get on the scoresheet, but the youngster was a constant threat, managing to complete 80% of his attempted passes, whilst also winning four fouls with the opposition unable to get near the academy graduate.

Moore’s subsequent form could spell the end for one current first-team member who has failed to produce the goods for Postecoglou’s side in recent weeks.

The man who could lose his place to Moore

Spurs forward Timo Werner rejoined the club on another season-long loan from RB Leipzig during the summer after spending the second half of last season on loan in North London.

The 28-year-old, who previously played for London rivals Chelsea, has failed to get on the scoresheet in his seven outings since his return, with his wasteful nature in front of goal clear to see.

Werner missed two clear one-on-one opportunities at Old Trafford last weekend, potentially handing Spurs a more emphatic victory than what they walked away with.

The German, who earns a reported £165k-per-week, also missed yet another glorious chance after an excellent ball through by youngster Moore against Ferencvaros, having ultimately fired his effort into the side netting from the angle.

Whilst his latest blunder had no impact on the final result, the forward simply can’t afford to be missing this many clear-cut chances, especially in closer outings with Postecoglou’s side potentially dropping vital points should he replicate his recent failures in front of goal.

Minutes played

65

Touches

31

Passes completed

20/23 (87%)

Shots taken

2

Big chances missed

1

Possession lost

5x

Duels won

1

As a result, he could lose his place in the squad to youngster Moore, with the 17-year-old showing more quality and finesse in attacking areas than the Champions League winner.

The academy graduate has showcased he has the ability to be a success, with Werner potentially halting his development in North London – giving boss Postecoglou a decision to make in giving the youth prospect an increase in minutes to further demonstrate what he can produce on a regular basis.

Alongside Moore: Spurs' 7/10 star stole the show vs Ferencvaros

The Lilywhites continued their strong start to life in Europe…

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 3, 2024

West Bromwich Albion have struggled in recent matches to string together some positive form in the Championship, as cracks begin to show in Carlos Corberan’s camp.

The Baggies are now winless in their last four games in the league, with the sweet taste of victory evading them throughout October so far, as a trip to Blackburn Rovers awaits the out-of-form West Midlands outfit tomorrow.

Corberan will want plenty more from his troops in the games to follow, as the likes of midfield stars Tom Fellows and Alex Mowatt had quiet games away at Oxford United last time out, with the promotion-chasing side succumbing to a late 1-1 draw.

West Brom could do with a more forceful presence in the middle of the park to try and take games by the scruff of their neck, akin to former Baggies ace Okay Yokuslu, with the Championship club even once dead set on the fact that they had the next Patrick Vieira in their ranks.

West Brom's next Vieira

Obviously, that is an outlandish tag to put above anyone’s head, with the ex-Arsenal brute a Premier League legend, having notched up a ridiculous 405 appearances for the Gunners across his celebrated stay in North London.

Vieira was known to be a feisty, no-nonsense presence in the middle of the park for his side, alongside also collecting an impressive 32 goals and 50 assists to help Arsene Wenger’s side routinely compete near the summit of the top division.

No pressure on young Rekeem Harper’s shoulders at the Hawthorns, therefore, who was tipped to be a talent similar to the Arsenal great back in 2019, with Harper himself revealing that academy manager Mark Harrison wanted to mould him into a box-to-box midfield presence like the well-known Frenchman:

West Brom even pondered about handing Vieira the managerial reins around this time, which could have resulted in Harper exploding into life, but the homegrown Baggies man would end up never living up to his outrageous billing as the second coming of the Gunners legend.

Harper's time at West Brom

Harper would go on to make an unmemorable 42 appearances for the Baggies in the first-team fold, with just two league appearances coming his way during his final season on the books of his boyhood employers as West Brom wrestled with fighting off relegation from the Premier League.

Only managing a lacklustre return of two goals and one assist too, there wouldn’t have been too many disappointed faces when Harper was moved on to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2021, with the once-promising midfielder failing to live up to the hype that previously surrounded him.

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

Ipswich

19

0

1

Crewe Alexandra

15

0

0

Burton Albion

34

0

1

The now 24-year-old has struggled to breathe life into his playing days away from his old employers too, with the £500k switch to the Tractor Boys not working out for him either, before then finding himself further down the EFL food chain with the likes of Crewe Alexandra and Burton Albion.

Harper even had his contract with the Brewers ripped up this September, after only managing one sub-par season at the Staffordshire outfit, with the midfielder once compared to Vieira just six years ago now unemployed after various failed stints away from West Brom.

He will be on the hunt for a new club to call home soon, with West Brom left to wonder whether they could have got more out of their rising star when he was emerging up the ranks.

Harper was even on the radar of Serie A titans Juventus when he was tipped for great things in the West Midlands as a teenager – with Liverpool also among those interested – but now finds himself clubless, as Corberan and Co aim to nurture the next generation coming through at West Brom in the here and now more successfully.

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“We looked at all the issues, including feedback from players and, in terms of the interview, the impressive interview that Mr [Michael] Smith gave”

Firdose Moonda18-Oct-2021Roger Telemachus was passed over for the job of Kwa-Zulu Natal Inland coach in favour of Michael Smith because Smith offered a more impressive interview, and not due to racial discrimination. That’s according to Dolphins CEO Heinrich Strydom, who testified as a responder at Cricket South Africa’s Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) Hearings and addressed allegations that Telemachus was unfairly overlooked.Telemachus took aim at CSA’s coaching hiring policy when he appeared at the SJN in July and specifically mentioned the appointment of the national coach Mark Boucher, while also discussing his own situation. He worked with the Kwa-Zulu Natal Inland team for seven seasons, during which time they won two trophies, and has since been appointed head coach of the Western Province Academy.Strydom explained how Telemachus and Kwa-Zulu Natal cricket parted ways ahead of the restructured 2021-22 season, which reduced the number of jobs available in the system. South Africa did away with the franchise system and now have a 15-team provincial system, effectively reducing the total number of teams, and thus of head coaches, from 21 to 15.”Mr Telemachus’ contract with the KZN Cricket Union ended in April 2020 but at the end of that season, which was interrupted and abandoned because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided to offer him a one-year extension until the conclusion of the 2020-2021 season, which he accepted. I can categorically state that no expectation was created that he would be re-employed once this extension had expired. For the 2021-22 season, the position of coach and assistant coach for the KZN Inland team became available and the positions were advertised in terms of KZN cricket employment policies. Mr Telemachus applied for these positions but was unfortunately unsuccessful.”The decision not to appoint Telemachus was made by a four-person panel, who interviewed all the candidates for the job and included the Dolphins convenor of selectors, who is also the cricket committee chairperson, the cricket services manager for KZN Inland, the coaching manager for KZN-Inland and a human resources administrator. Strydom was also due to attend the interviews but was unable to after a Covid-19 scare. Strydom confirmed that all members of the interview panel are of colour.When asked why Smith, who was previously a high-school coach at the elite school Maritzburg College, was preferred over Telemachus, who holds a Level 4 coaching qualification, Strydom said: “In terms of the committee’s feedback, they felt Mr Smith’s presentation was very impressive and he adhered to all the requirements they have, so that’s why they want to go with him,” Strydom said.He also said Smith’s experience at the Pakistan Super League – he has worked with Islamabad United as batting coach – and in his personal capacity gave him an edge. “Michael Smith has coached various provincial and international players on a one-on-one basis. He has also been involved in the Pakistan Super League, where he has worked with international players and coaches. We felt from an experience point of view, even though he has never been a full-time head coach for a provincial team, he has worked with international players and the feedback we got regarding him was very positive,” Strydom said.Ombudsman advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza pressed Strydom to explain why a candidate who did not have Telemachus’ playing and coaching experience was preferred over him if race was not a factor. “We did not just look at the issue of experience. We looked at all the issues, including feedback from players and, in terms of the interview, the impressive interview that Mr Smith gave. All those things were considered. We made an appointment which was felt was the best to take KZN-Inland forward,” Strydom said.Related

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Ultimately, Strydom conceded that KZN-Inland opted not to employ Telemachus based on his record, rather than his credentials. “We had seven years with Mr Telemachus of which our average position of where the team finished was ninth (out of 13) in the T20s, eighth in the List A competitions and seventh in the three-day competitions. In the last three years we won two trophies but over the seven years, it’s quite a modest performance record which had to be taken into consideration,” Strydom said. “And from various interviews and employee feedback reviews, where we had players who had been coached by him, a lot of players had a strong view that KZN has been overly accommodating to Mr Telemachus in this regard due to his performance and record over many years.”Contrastingly, Smith had overwhelming strong feedback from those he had worked with. “Mr Smith worked with various people all over the world. It was easy to get feedback from people about their experiences. The thing that stood out was the impressive interview and his plans in taking KZN Inland forward,” Strydom said.Strydom was asked to respond to an assertion by Telemachus that Strydom had told Telemachus that Smith brought more value and credentials to the post, which Strydom denied, although he recalled a conversation in which he thought he had cleared the air with Telemachus. “We had a conversation when he phoned me and he was quite aggressive in his tone in terms of why he didn’t get the job. I can’t remember the exact words I used, but the interview panel decided that Michael Smith was the best candidate to take KZN Inland forward. Even after that he said he understood and it was all good. To my surprise, the SJN was used as a platform to criticise the process we undertook.”Responding testimony at the SJN will be heard for the next two weeks before Ntsebeza submits his report to CSA at the end of November.

Carlo Ancelotti has criticised referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz for not sending off Espanyol's Carlos Romero after his horror tackle on Kylian Mbappe.

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Ancelotti claims Espanyol deserved red cardCarlos Romero made horror tackle on MbappeEspanyol win 1-0 with Romero scoring winnerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Real Madrid were shocked by Espanyol in the 85th minute as Romero finished the Catalan side's counter-attack by slotting the ball past a stranded Thibaut Courtois. However, there are claims being made by Los Blancos stars and their affiliated media that Romero should have been sent off earlier in the game after his shin-high studs-up tackle on Mbappe. Ancelotti has now opened up on the same and criticised referee Muniz Ruiz.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT ANCELOTTI SAID

Speaking to the media, Ancelotti said: "The decision the referee and the VAR took is inexplicable. Everyone saw it. The most important thing is to protect the player. It's a clear foul, a very ugly challenge. Fortunately, nothing happened in terms of an injury, but the VAR is there for that. It's inexplicable to us that he didn't show a red card."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

As has become a common occurrence whenever Real Madrid drop points, the Los Blancos' social media team was quick to put up a critical review of the referee's performance with Real Madrid TV also showcasing all of the fifty-fifty chances that did not go in the 15-time Champions League winners' favour. Over the course of the last two years, Real Madrid have received a lot of criticism from La Liga, RFEF and the Spanish referees' association regarding their critique against referees before games as they attempt to pressure the officials against making calls against their side.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ANCELOTTI?

The Italian's comments against referee Muniz Ruiz come off as very hypocritical as Ancelotti had previously claimed that referees are humans and can make mistakes after Real Madrid's controversial win over Celta Vigo in October. Nonetheless, the pressure on the 65-year-old continues as Los Blancos fans remain discontent with his tactical ineptness despite their lead in the league table.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly one of the clubs preparing an offer to sign a new midfielder in 2025, according to a fresh report.

Nottingham Forest continue strong Premier League start

A 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at the City Ground continued Nuno Espírito Santo’s side’s strong start to the Premier League season.

After just avoiding relegation last season (albeit with points deductions for breaching financial fair play regulations), Forest have lost just once so far this season, and currently sit in the top half of the table. Their run of form includes a historic win over Liverpool and Anfield, as well as draws with European contenders Chelsea and Brighton, both of whom have started the season very strongly.

They did suffer shootout heartbreak in the EFL Cup as they were knocked out on penalties by Newcastle United, but their early form in the Premier League has left that disappointment a distant memory in the Midlands.

Nuno’s side now have a run of favourable fixtures ahead as they take on Premier League new boys Leicester City and Ipswich Town in their next five games looking to continue their early form and translate a good start into the Garibaldi’s best Premier League season since 1995/96, when they finished 9th. Now, a fresh report has linked them with a move for an impressive midfielder next summer.

Forest want £16m+ French midfielder

That is according to reports coming out of Turkey, which claim that Nottingham Forest are one of several sides preparing a move to sign French midfielder Batista Mendy next summer.

The 24-year-old joined Trabzonspor from French side Angers in the summer of 2023, and has gone on to become a key man in the Turkish side’s midfield. He started 31 games in the Turkish top flight last season, and has already started seven times this campaign, albeit largely at centre-back rather than in his normal central midfield berth.

He was considered something of a gem for the future during his time in Ligue 1, with football analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “strong ball-winning midfielder” and a “a technically secure anchor with good passing” on X.

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As per the report, clubs in Europe have taken notice of Mendy’s form in Turkey, and it is claimed that “Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace” are among those most interested, while it is suggested that the interested parties are “preparing offers” for the 24-year-old midfielder.

Palace have a long-term interest in the midfielder, but he will not be allowed to leave in January even if offers do come in, with Trapzonspor only willing to let him leave next summer and having slapped a 20m euros (£16.6m) price tag on his head as they look to turn a profit on the Frenchman.

The Premier League duo will face competition from an unnamed Russian club, but their interest is thought to be concrete and should Mendy continue to impress, there could be a fight for his signature come next summer, with Forest firmly in the mix.

Crystal Palace are among the teams interested in signing a teenage talent valued at £8.4 million, according to a recent report.

It has been a tough start to the campaign for the Eagles, as they are without a win in their first six league games, suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to Everton last time out despite taking the lead. The start has seen Oliver Glasner come under fire, but he will be hoping he can turn it around and get to January, when he can improve the team once again.

Crystal Palace wanted to sign £15m PL flop but ended up with Mateta

Palace nearly ended up with PL flop, but got Mateta instead

By
Connor Holden

Oct 3, 2024

Crystal Palace transfer news

The rocky start to the campaign has put pressure on Glasner and has made several Palace fans unhappy, and the transfer news that has appeared this week will not make them feel any better. Indeed, it has been claimed that Eberechi Eze is now “open” to the idea of leaving Selhurst Park.

The Palace talisman perhaps sees this as the ideal time for him to begin a new challenge at this point in his career. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Eze in the past, and it has been reported that the interest from the duo still remains.

While Eze weighs up his future, there is also more bad news concerning Palace, as it’s been reported this week that Manchester United are planning a “big bid” to sign Adam Wharton. The midfielder has been a breath of fresh air since joining the Premier League side, earning several plaudits, so much so that the Red Devils are planning to make a move in 2025 as they see him as a replacement for Christian Eriksen.

Crystal Palace send scouts to see the £8.4m-rated gem in person

According to Fotboll Direkt, relayed by Sport Witness, Crystal Palace are interested in signing Bazoumana Toure from Hammarby IF. Scottish champions Celtic were first linked with the young forward, but they have now been joined by Palace as well as Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Benfica.

The 18-year-old joined Hammarby in March earlier this year, and in his short time at the club, he has already been very impressive. Despite not long breaking into senior football, the report states that Toure is now “growing like crazy” at the Swedish side, and that isn’t going unnoticed, as Dougie Freedman has sent Eagles officials to check him out.

Toure played 86 minutes last weekend in Hammarby’s game against AIK, and scouts were in place from Palace and Celtic, as well as four other clubs. The striker is under contract until the summer of 2028, and if he were to leave Hammarby, the report states that they would want 10 million euros, which is roughly £8.4 million and makes him the most valuable player in his division.

Bazoumana Toure’s Hammarby stats
Apps	18
Goals	6
Assists	3

Palace would obviously have to be patient with Toure were he to join them, as he’s still only 18 and has never played in the Premier League, but his ability to play across the front line as both a forward and a winger would provide plenty of depth and versatility in Glasner’s attacking options.